Hipp, the Switzerland-headquartered baby food firm, is to relaunch one of its products in Croatia after becoming embroiled in the row over 'dual standards' - western European food manufacturers allegedly providing inferior versions of their products in the former communist countries of central and eastern Europe.

The European Commission, faced with four angry member states claiming foods of lower quality are being sold in their countries compared to in neighbouring markets, has announced its support for measures to ensure consumers are not misled - but stopped short of proposing changes to EU legislation.

The row over food standards between the EU and four of its member states in the centre and east of the bloc shows no sign of going away, with Slovakia Prime Minister Robert Fico hitting out at Brussels ahead of talks with the European Commission.

The Czech government has claimed new research confirms its suspicions food producers are providing poorer quality ingredients for products sold in former eastern European countries compared to those on the market in western Europe.

The European Commission has concluded "for the moment" it has no evidence of any significant differences in quality of the same branded food products, including meat, dairy products and chocolate, sold in eastern European member states than elsewhere in the EU.

Bulgaria said yesterday (29 May) it had begun analysing food products sold in the country to compare them with the same branded items on sale in western European countries, amid concerns over "double standards" in quality.